Line-casting machine.



No. 650,296. Patented May 22 I900.-

ls. BRADLEY.

'LIINE CASTING MACHINE.

('Apphczition filed Feb. 19, 189B.)

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ho. 650,296. Patented May 22, 1900.

S. BRADLEY. um: CASTING MACHINE.

fApplication flied Feb. 19, 18931 I 3 Shets-Sheet- 2.

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No. 650,296. Patented May 22, I900.

S. BRADLEY.

LINE CASTING MACHINE.

(Applicaticnfiled Feb. 19, 1898.)

-3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

sIIAEPLEs BRADLEY, or MONTREAL, on ADA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE MoNoLINE OOMPOSING COMPANY OF wEsT VIRGINIA, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

LINE-CASTING MACHINE 1 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,296, dated May 22, 1900.

Application filed February 19, 1898. Serial No. 670,991. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, SHARPLES BRADLEY, of the city of Montreal, in the district of Montreal and Province of Quebec, Canada, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Casting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to line-casting machines comprising means for assembling a series of matrix-bars and spacers in line, means for conveying said bars to a point where the line is justified, and thence to a point where the line of type is to be cast from the line of,

: matrices, and, finally, means for returning said line of matrix-bars to a point where they are collected and distributed in their appropriate chambers in the magazine from which they were originally taken. A line-casting machine embodying these elements or mechanisms and to which my invention is applicable is fully illustrated and described in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 506,198, of October 3, 1893.

2 5 My invention relates particularly to the means for collecting and distributing the matrix-bars, and, secondly, to means for retaining the matrix bars against displacement While being shifted to the point at which the 0 line of type is cast; and the objects of the invention are to simplify the construction of these last-mentioned means, to enhance the durability of such means, to obviate the swinging of the matrix-bars while being car- 5 ried by'the distributer to the magazine after the line has been cast, to effectively guard against the accidental falling of the matrixbars from the distributers While being carried to the magazine, as just mentioned, and

40 also to prevent their falling (while being shifted to the point of casting along the alinement-bar) through the opening to accommodate the distributer in the face-plate.

To these ends the invention may be said,

5 briefly, to consist in providing a distributor adapted to, carry the matrix-bars in a straight line fromthe shoe to the magazine and at the same time, due to a novel relation of said bars tothe d istributer, retain said bars stationary in a predetermined position while being carried. This distributer, more specifically speaking, consists of a series of oblong horizontally-sliding and vertically-movable plates arranged one above the other with their forward ends located opposite to the respective chambers in the magazine,while they are slotted from their forward ends rearward, the slot of each plate extending to a point in a vertical plane common to all the plates when they are in the position with their forward ends in distributing position opposite the respective magazine-chambers. A crosshead adapted to slide in vertical guides mounted upon the bed-plate of the machine carries the plates and is actuated by a cam-operated lever, While said plates are horizontally ad justed from their positions with their ends opposite the magazine-chambers to a point in a direct vertical line above the end of the shoe or channel along which the matrix-bars are moved from the mold after the line has been cast by a cam-operated downwardlyprojecting finger projecting through the slots in the distributing-plates. The spaces between these distributing plates are maintained in any suitable manner, and the ends of the plates are preferably diminished in thickness and provided with a bead, while the uppermost plate has an angular section secured to the plate adjacent to and adapted to overhang its bead, and the topsurfaces of the upper hooked ends of the matrix-bars are flattened and adapted when slid upon the beads of the distributing-plates to be located in close proximity to the plate next above it or the angular overhanging section of the uppermost plate. The ends adjacent to the magazine of the beads are extended slightly beyond the side edges of the plates and beveled and are adapted to engage 0 the adjacent ends, which are also beveled, of the magazine wires or rails when the distributing-plates are in their distributing positions relatively to the chambers of the maga zine, while the rear ends of said plates are provided with lateral projections adapted, in conjunction with the cross-head, to limit their forward movement. For full comprehension,

however, of my invention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like symbols indicate the same parts, andwherein- I 5 Figure 1 is a front elevation of the distributerportion of a line-casting machine; Fig. 2,

a plan view thereof, partly in section; Fig.3,

distributing-plates; Fig, 6, asimilar sectional; view to Fig. 3, but illustrating in detail my;

improved means for preventing the accidental falling of the matrix-bars and spacers from thealining-bar, and Fig. 7 a detail perspective'view of one of my improved matrix-bars.

Ihave illustrated and will describe in detail only those parts of a line-castin g machine to. which my invention relates, the various parts combining and coactin g with said parts and constituting a complete machine towhich my invention can beapplied being, as before stated, fully illustrated and described in the States.

of thedistributer. Directly in rearof this opening is secured to; the bed-plate 12 a pairof vertical guides 13, consisting, preferably, of a pair of plates slotted, as at 14, and con- 3 5 nected together at their upper ends by a plate 15, while the adjacent faces of these vertical plates are provided with dovetail grooves 16, in which take the dovetailed edges 17 of a pair. of plates 18, tied together by a web-section 19' and constituting a cross-head. The adjacent faces of the plates 18 are formed about midway of their height with a series of, preferably, nine horizontal grooves 20, arranged in close proximity to one another, and a pair of perforated lugs 21 are formed upon the. outer faces thereof and adapted to project through the slots 14.

VA cam-disk 2O is mounted upon the usual cameshaft 21 and lias cam-grooves 22 and 23, respectively, cut in the opposite faces thereof. The cam-groove 22 receives a roller 24, car ried upon a lever 25, fulcrumed, as at26, to a:bracl ce t26 upon the bed-plate of the machine and having its forward end 27 forked andadapted to straddle the guides, as shown iirFigs. 1 and 2, thetends of said fork being slotted and horizontally perforated and receiving in. their slots the lower flattened and perforated heads of screw-bolts 28, the upper ends whereof take freely through the perforated lugs 21 andreceive nuts 29 thereon,while spiral" compression-springs 3O encircle said bolts and bear between the heads thereof and said lugs, thus providing a yielding operative connection. between the cross-head and its operating-lever.

In the series of horizontal grooves 20 are 1 of said. plates.

" distributing-plates, and each is of suflicient beforementioned Letters Patent of the United:

The faceplate 10 of the machine has, as usual, an opening 11 to allow of the workinglocatedinine plates, serving to receive the matrix-bars and spacers and distribute them in the appropriate chambers of the magazine. These plates 40 have their forward ends diminished in thickness and formed with beads 31, beveled, as at 32, and extending, slightly beyond the magazine side of said plates and engaging when moved full back the magazine wiresv or rails 33, whichare also correspondingly beveled, while the rear ends of these plates have lugs or projections 34 formed rigidly on each side thereof,projecting laterally therefrom and engaging in recesses 35, formed in each of the side plates of the cross-head,these lugs serving to limit the forward movement I term these plates 40 the length toextend when occasion requires from the rear edge of the cross-head to. a. point in vertical line with the center of the space or channel between the shoe36 and face-plate 10 and along which the matrix-bars are returned after the line has been cast. The uppermost plate 40, which usually carries the bars adapted to establish the spaces between each group of matrices forming a word, isstationary relatively to the cross-head or, in other words, has no horizontal movement,

but travels with the cross-head and with its forward end continually in the vertical plane of the magazine-chamber intended to receive said space ba-rs, and said plate is slotted, as at 41, from a point adjacent to its forward end rear-wardly for about two-thirds of. its length,- the other eight plates being similarly slotted, but only a sufficient distance to have the rear ends of the slots in the same vertical plane as the end of the slot in the uppermost plate when the plates are in position with their, forward ends in distributing position relatively to their appropriate chambers of the magazine. The distance the platesv are located one above the other is maintained at their forward end bya series of blocks 43, secured upon the upper side of each plate except the top one, which has secured rigidly thereon an angular section 44, extending transversely the full width of the plate and adapted to overhang the bead 31 thereof, and the edges of all the plates are notched, asat 45, in a vertical'line (when they are in their forward position) with the top edge of the face-plate. A horizontal sliding movement is imparted to "these plates, preferably from the before-mentioned cam-groove 23in cam-disk 20 ,by means of a bell-crank lever 50, fulcrumed, as at 51, to the bed-plate of the machine and having a roller 52 mounted upon the end of the horizontal arm thereof and taking into said groove 23, while the end of the other arm is pivotally connected to one end of a short rod 53,

taking through the partially-closed end of a sleeve 54 and havinga head 55 formed at its other vend. A coiled spring 56 encircles this rod and bears between the head 55and said partially-closed end of-the sleeve, the other end of the sleeve havingone end of a link 57 screwed therein and held in place by a jam-nut 58 and pivotally connected at its other end, as at 59, to one end of a slidable bar 60, supported upon and guided in a horizontal groove 59 in the cross-plate 15, wherein it is held against displacement by a cap 59 and has its outer end downwardly offset to form a finger 61, adapted to take through the slots 41 of the distributing-plates.

- I have discovered that, especially if the assembled line of matrices is not properly justitled, the matrix-bar and space-bar, while being shifted by the carriage (indicated at 62) along the alining-bar 63 to the m'old, frequently become overbalanced and tilt forward into the opening 11 in the face-plate 10 and trip upon the side thereof, thus damaging not only such face-plate to a certain extent, but also, as is much more serious, the matrix-bars or the matrices themselves. To obviate this defect, I yieldingly support a cross-bar 7 0, extending completely across said opening 11 and flush with the forward face of the plate 10, a short distance above the bottom edge of said opening, upon which it is supported by apair of coiled springs 71 71, set in sockets 72 72 and 73 73 in said crossbar and face-plate, respectively, their relative positions being maintained by a pair of down-pins 74: 74, set rigidly in the lower side of the cross-bar and taking into sockets 75 75, formed in the face-plate.

The above-described construction of the distribution devices enables matrix-bars and spacers of the construction illustrated in detail in Fig. 7 to'be used, said bars being formed with their upper hooked ends extended horizontally and flattened, as at 80.

The operation of the line-casting machine above mentioned, to which my improvements are in this instance illustrated as being applied, is precisely the same as the operation of said machine clearly set forth in the said patent, my improved distributer taking the turn of the distributer illustrated and described therein, the cross-bar 70, as before thence to the position shown in chain-lines,

Fig. 3. This is effected by the finger 61 acting in its forward movement first upon the lowermost distributing-plate (its slot being the shortest) and then upon the remainder consecutively in upward progression, accordin g as the forward ends of these slots are met, until their beads are in the same vertical plane and their notches 45' in vertical line with the upper tapered end of the face-plate 10. The

cam-groove 22,through its intermediate mechanism, either will have been lowering during the latter part of this movement or will then commence to lower the plates into the position shown in chain-lines in said Fig. 3 to be ready to receive the matrix-bars and spacers, which are slid thereon by the carriage in the usual manner. The plates are then raised in a direct vertical line until the lower ends of the matrix-bars and spacers clear the top edge of cross-bar 70, at which time said space and matrix-bars are preferably causedbythe combined action of the two cam-grooves to travel in a straight line to their distributing position oppositetheir appropriate magazinechambers, upon the rails or wires of which they are then pushed in the usual manner. As before mentioned, the beveled ends of these magazine rails or wires and the registering and correspondingly-beveled ends of the beads serve to limit the rearward movement of the distributing-plates, while the lugs 34 limit the forward movement thereof,and the yielding connection between said plates and the means for imparting the horizontal and vertical movement thereto take up any excessive movement of said last-mentioned means due to the wear of the cams or other reasons.

The particular formation of the forward ends of the plates and the upper hooked ends of the matrix-bars and spacers effectually prevents the swinging of the bars, thus insuring, in so far as the movement together of said plates and bars is concerned, an approximately-rigid connection between the same, while yet leaving said bars free to be slid from the plates into the magazine-cham bers.

What I claim is as follows:

1. In-a line'casting machine, a distributer consisting of a series of horizontallydisposed plates adapted to receive the matrix-bars and spacers after the line has been cast and carry them to their appropriate magazine chambers,-each of said plates being provided at its forward end with an upwardly-projecting bead,in combination with means t'oractuating said distributer, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a line-casting machine, a distributer consisting of a series of plates adapted to receive the matrix-bars and spacers after the line has been cast and carry the same vertically into position to be moved horizontally into their appropriate magazine-chambers,

each of said plates having its forward end diminished in thickness and provided with an upwardly-projecting head, in combination with means for actuating said distributor, for the purposes set forth.

'3. In a line-casting machine, a distributor consisting of a series of plates adapted to re ceive the matrix-bars and spacers after the line has been cast and carry the same vertically into position to be moved horizontally into their appropriate magazine-chambers,

each of said plates having its forward end diminished in thickness and provided with a beveled upwardly-projecting bead extended slightly beyond the magazine side of thesaid plate, in combination with means for actuating said distributer, for the purposes set forth.

7 4." Ina line-casting machine, a distributor consisting of a series of plates adapted to receive the matrix-bars and spacers after the line has'been cast and carry them to their appropriate magazine-chambers and means i for horizontally and vertically moving said and vertically moving said plates, for the par-- pose set forth. t. p

6. In a line-casting machine, a distributor consisting of a series of plates adapted to receive the matrix-bars and spacers after the line has been cast and carry them to their appropriate magazine-chambers, means comprising'a-yieldin g device for horizon tally moving said plates; means for vertically moving said plates; and means for limiting the forward horizontal movement thereof for the purpose set forth.

- 7. In a line-casting machine, adist'ribnter consistingof a series of plates adapted to receive the matrix-bars and spacers after the [line has been cast and carry them to their appropriate magazine-chambers and maintain them in a predetermined position relatively to said plates, means comprising a yielding device for horizontally moving said horizontal movement thereof, for the purposeset forth. p I

8 In aline-casting machine, a distributer' consisting of a series of plates adapted to receive the matrix=bars and spacers after the line has been cast andcarry them toth-eir appropriate magazine-chambers, means comprising a yielding device, for horizontally moving said plates; means for vertically'moving said plates, and means for l-imitingthe:

v 7 consisting of a'series of plates, adapted'to rea ceive 'the matrix-bars and spacers after the 1 forward and rearward horizontal movement thereof, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a line-casting-machine, a distributor line has been cast and carry them to their ap propriate magazine-chambers, and maintain them in a predetermined position relatively tosaid plates, means comprising ayielding device for horizontally moving said plates; means for'vertically moving said plates; and means for limiting the forward and. rearward horizontal movement thereof, for the purpose set forth.

"10. Ina-line-casting machine, adistributer' consisting of a series of platesarranged one above the other and adapted to receive and carry the-matrix-bars and spacers, each plate having its forward end formed with an upwardly-projecting bead extending the full length thereof; means for causing said plates to, at intervals, assume-positions in the same vertical plane, and distributing positions relatively tothe magazine-chambers; and means for'imparting a vertical reciprocal movement to said series of plates, for the purpose set forth.

11. In a line-casting machine, the-combination of thebase-plate, a pair of vertical guides mounted rigidly upon said base plate; a crosshead adapted to slide vertically in'said guides;

, a cam-operated lever adapted to impart a vertical reciprocal rnovementto-sa-id cross-head,

aseries of platesarranged horizon-tally one above the other and connected to said cross"- head by a-sliding connection; means for caus "ingsai'd plates to, at intervals, assume positions wlth their forward ends in the same vertical plane and distributing positions rela= tivel y to the magazine-chambers.

I2. Ina line-casting machine, the combination of the base-plate,a pair of vertical guides mounted rigidly upon said base-plate; a crosshead adapted to sl-i'devertically in said guides; aca-moperated lever adapted to impart a vertical reciprocal movement to said cross=head a yielding connection between said lever and slides; a series of plates arranged horizontal-1 y one above the other and connectedto .said crosshead by a sliding connection;

means for causing said plates to, at intervals, assume positions with their forward ends in the same vertical plane and distributing positions relatively to the magazine-chambers. plates; means for vertically moving said plates; and means for limiting the rearward vi 1-3. In a line-casting machine, thecombina- 'tion of the base=plate-,a pairof vertical guides mounted rigidly upon said base-plate acrosshead adapted-to-slide vertically in said guides;

f a cam-operated lever adapted toimpart a vertical reciprocal movement to said cr'oss head a series of plates arranged horizontally one above theother and connected to saidcrosshead by a sliding connection; means comprisinga yielding resistance for causingsaid 3 plates to, at intervals, assume positions with their forward endsin the same vertical plane and distributing] positions relatively to the magazine-chambers.

14. In al-ine-casting machine, the combination-of, the base-plate, apair of vertical guides mounted rigidly u ponsaid base-plate; acrosshead adapted to slide vertically insaid guides;

a cam-operated lever adapted to imparta ve rtical reciprocal movement to said cross-head, a yielding connection between said lever and slides a series of plates arranged horizontally one above the other and connected to said I, cross-head by a, sliding connection; means comprising ayield-ing resistance for causing said plates to, at intervals, assume positions with their forward ends in the same vertical plane and distributing positions relatively to the magazine-chambers.

15. In a line-casting machine, the combination with the face-plate thereof having an opening adapted to accommodate the distributer, a device adapted to yieldingly obstruct the lower portion of said opening, for the purpose set forth.

16. In a line-castin g machine, the combination with a distributer comprising a series of plates located a short distance one above the other, of a matrix-bar or spacer having its upper end hooked and flattened, substantially as described. 7

17. In a line-casting machine, the combination with a distributor comprising a series of plates arranged a short distance one above another, each of said plates being provided with an upwardly-projecting bead and the upper plate having on the top an angular section above its bead, of matrix-bars and spacers having upper hooked ends flattened on the top, for the purpose set forth.

18. In a line-casting machine, the combination with the face-plate thereof having an opening adapted to accommodate the distributer, a cross-bar adapted to extend across the lower portion of said opening, and means for yieldingly holding said cross-bar against dis- 3o placement, for the purpose set forth.

19. In' a line-castin g machine, a distributer comprising a series of superposed plates, each rectangular in cross-section and provided on its forward end with an upwardly-projecting bead, in combination with mechanism for actuating said plates, for the purpose set forth.

20. In a-line-casting machine, a distributer comprising a series of rectangular distributerplates each having on its forward end an up- 40 wardly-projecting bead and provided with a slot, in combination with mechanism for actuating said plates, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presonce of two subscribing Witnesses.

' SHARPLES BRADLEY;

Witnesses:

E. D. OHADWIOK, WILL. P. MGFEAT. 

